What You Need to Know July 13th

Welcome to the second edition of my summer series "What You Need to Know" where I catch you up on what has happened during the past week. 

Free Agency

The free agency frenzy has quickly turned into a free agency fizzle. News about free agent signings is trickling in ever so slowly. Of all the players who signed this week, only 5 of them got a contracts worth a million dollars.

Teemu Selanne signs 1 year deal with Anaheim

The future Hall of Famer has decided he is healthy enough and wants to play one more season before hanging up the skates. The 42 year old announced on Thursday that he and the Ducks had agreed on a one year deal, which will bring Selanne back for his 20th NHL season. The ageless wonder is coming back. After a season that saw his team start the year 10-21-6  and turn it around in December to finish 24-15-6. Selanne showed he still had game finishing the year leading his team in scoring with 66 points and tied for third with 26 goals. 

In 19 seasons Selanne has racked up 663 goals and 1,406 points in 1,341 games. He also the Ducks all time leader in goals (466), assists (501), points (937) and games played (856). 

There is no question that when it does come time for Selanne to hang up the skates he will one day be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He is a NHL legend and it's a fantastic thing for both the Ducks and the NHL to have him back for another year. 

Marc-Andre Gragnani signs 1 year deal with Carolina

The former Sabres is on the move again. After being deal to the Canucks at the trade deadline Gragnani has moved on to another team. The Hurricanes signed the young defenceman to a one year deal worth $800 thousand. 

Peter Mueller signs 1 year deal with Florida

The Panthers and Mueller agreed to a one year deal worth $1.725 million. 

Jamie Langenbrunner signs 1 year deal with St. Louis

While he scored just 6 goals for the Blues last season, GM Doug Armstrong says he's veteran leadership in the dressing room is worth keeping around. The two sides agreed to a one year deal worth $1.25 million. 

Parise and Suter both receive "A's" in Minnesota

After the long drawn out process that resulted in the two biggest fish during free agency signing with the same team. The two players got their official "Wild" welcome on Monday. Suter will wear his familiar number 20 while Parise will switch to his fathers old number 11. Both players donned new Jerseys that had an A sowed on them, making them both alternate captains. Parise was the New Jersey Devils captain and has great leadership capabilities. Parise will likely become the face of the franchise for the next decade. 

Brett MacLean improving

After a scare last week for Coyotes forward MacLean during a recreational scrimmage in which he went into Cardiac emergency. He is currently recovering in hospital and has began walking up and down the hospital halls. The doctors are still running tests to figure out what caused the Cardiac emergency and MacLean will stay in hospital until they know exactly what happened. After collapsing his heart was shocked three times and eventually they were able to restart his heart. 

Pierre Gauthier is back in action

After being scene at a Blackhawks training session rumours began to swirl about Gauthier now working for the Blackhawks. For once the rumours were right. Gauthier will become the director of player personnel for the Blackhawks. He also works in the front offices for the Anaheim Ducks and Ottawa Senators. Could Gauthier be the future Blackhawks GM?

Winter Classic Alumni take 2

The Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings are such historic teams that they are need two alumni games at the Winter Classic. For fans that's double the fun and twice the all-stars they get to see. Tickets which will begin selling August 1 (season ticket holders) will feature the opportunity to attend both games. 

Some key names attending one of the Alumni games for the Leafs include: Wendel Clark, Darryl Sittler, Darcy Tucker, Felix Potvin, Dave Andreychuck, Doug Gilmour and Johnny Bower.

Notable Red Wings include: Mickey Redmond, Luc Robitaille, Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, Mark Howe and Chris Chelios.

Two notable Red Wings missing from the list of confirmed attendees include recently retire Nicklas Lidstrom who has yet to decide if he will participate and Tampa Bay Lightning GM Steve Yzerman who has declined his invitation to play but may make an appearance at the festivities. 

James Van Riemsdyk at centre?

One of the biggest needs the Leafs needed this offseason was a number one centre. To date Brian Burke has failed to bring his team a number centre. Head coach Randy Carlyle is taking maters into his own hands and is going to try newly acquired forward Van Riemsdyk at centre during training camp. With the Flyers there was little to no opportunity for him to play centre, but he did play centre at the University of New Hampshire so he does have some experience. 

In 43 games with the Flyers last season Van Riemsdyk scored 11 goals and added 13 assists. 

Derek Roy to undergo shoulder surgery

Sabres fans can take a sigh of relief. The injury prone Derek Roy is no longer their problem. Roy was traded to the Dallas Stars in exchange for Steve Ott and Adam Pardy. The surgery was an optional choice but the Stars have said they "want the best Roy they can get". Roy had the surgery on Wednesday and will be out till at least November. Some bad luck and a tough break for Roy who played through the shoulder injury last season with the Sabres. 

 Honouring the French Connection

If you're a Sabres fan you have likely heard of the great French Connection line. One of the most famous lines in Sabres (and NHL) history will be honoured in the Sabres new Alumni plaza outside of First Niagara Centre. The statue will be unveiled October 12th to honour the 40th anniversary of the trio. Gilbert Perreault, Rick Martin and Rene Robert all three players were french Canadian and were dubbed "the French Connection Line" after a movie in 1971. In Buffalo's third season in the NHL the trio were put together and led the Sabres to their first ever playoff birth. All three players are members of the Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame and have had their numbers retired by the organization. The new Alumni plaza will be a walk down memory lane for older fans and history lesson for younger ones as each member of the Sabres will be honoured in some way. As a Sabres fan I can't wait to see it!

That's all she wrote this weak around the NHL. At the end of each week I am ticking down the days till October when the greatest game is back. If you ever want to talk hockey feel free to tweet me @Hockeylife30.

Trading Places

With the draft complete and free agency right around the corner teams are starting to get active on the trading block. 2 major moves have already taken place: Toronto Maple Leafs traded Luke Schenn to the Flyers in exchange for James van Riemsdyk. The Pittsburgh Penguins also made a major splash at the draft when they sent Jordan Staal to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Brandon Sutter, Brian Dumoulin and the 8th overall pick in the draft which was used to select Derrick Pouliot.

Luke Schenn trade:

The Toronto Maple Leafs under the reign of Brian Burke once again failed to make the playoffs last season something GM Burke has said himself is not good enough. Next season could be Burke's last chance to get the Leafs to the postseason, so many were expecting him to make some major trades. He's already made 2 moves and free agency hasn't even begun yet: Trading Luke Schenn to the Flyers and sending the rights to Jonas Gustavsson to the Winnipeg Jets.

After the Leafs drafted Morgan Reilly with their pick in the first round, many speculated the pick made current Leafs defenceman Luke Schenn expendable. There has been speculation since the beginning of last season that Schenn's days in Toronto may have been numbered. He's a solid defenceman but was just unable to flourish with the buds. Burke managed to pull off a trade that will unite the Schenn brothers in Philadelphia and give the Leafs a exciting young player.

Van Riemsdyk brings a big physical aspect to the Leafs who were lacking in toughness in their top 6. At 6"3 203 pounds he will be a force to be reckoned with and isn't afraid to use his size when needs it. He's a big forward who can play centre when needed and most importantly can put the puck in the net, he just wasn't able to flourish with the Flyers. He is a former 2nd overall draft pick (2007) so he has the skill and potential that the Leafs are looking for. The only problem is the baggage he brings: He tends to be injury prone. He missed the majority of last season with a concussion, he suffered a rib cartilage injury, a hip injury and I believe he needs foot surgery to fully repair a broken bone in his foot. But he is big tough forward who isn't afraid to block shots, the exact player Brian Burke is after.

Jordan Staal trade:


The Jordan Staal trade was something that was going to happen sooner or later, the Penguins chose sooner. Less than 24 hours after Staal turned down a 10 year $60 million contract the Pens had worked out a deal that would send Jordan to play alongside his brother Eric in Carolina, something that was important for both brothers. Jordan had come out and said he wanted to play with his brother and he got his wish.

Due to the skill on the Penguins roster (Crosby and Malkin) Staal was doomed to spend his entire career as a 3rd line centre, but he is much better than a 3rd line centre and deserves a chance to be a number one or number 2 centre. He will likely fill the 2nd line centre role in Carolina behind his brother Eric who is the number one centre.

Jordan completed his 6th season in the NHL and with the Penguins and set career highs in assists (25) and points (50) despite only playing in 62 games. He has already won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins and will now have an opportunity to win a Cup alongside his brother.

One other trade:


One of the more interesting trades in regards that it came out of no where was the Dallas Stars trading Mike Ribeiro to the Washington Capitals in exchange for Cody Eakin and a draft pick. A odd trade, Ribeiro has been on the trading block for the last 2 seasons but no one has bitten, while Eakin is thought to be an unproven prospect. Only time will tell who got the better deal.